INSTALLATION GUIDE

GEFORCE GTX 970 INSTALL ATION GUIDE

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction1
About This Guide
1
Minimum System Requirements
2
Unpacking3
Equipment3
Hardware Installation
Safety Instructions
Before You Begin
Installing the GeForce Graphics Card

5
5
6
6

Software Installation
GeFore Experience Software Installation
Driver Installation

11
11
13

Configuring SLI
Accessing NVIDIA Control Panel
Enabling/Disabling SLI

15
15
16

Configuring HDMI
Enabling Audio Over HDMI

17
17

Features19
Compliances23

Table of Contents

Introduction

01

Introduction

Thank you for choosing the NVIDIA GeForce

GTX 970 graphics card.
The GTX 970 is a powerful graphics card that
gives you the fast, smooth, quiet gaming youre
looking for in all your favorite titles. With features
like GPU Boost 2.0, NVIDIA TXAA, and NVIDIA
PhysX, this graphics card will give you the best
your games have to offer.
Plus, with NVIDIAs GeForce Experience built
right into its drivers, you can take advantage of
NVIDIAs tens of thousands of hours of testing to
optimize your gameplay settings with one click.
About This Guide

This installation guide discusses the installation and operation of

the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphic card.
Note: It is important to register your product in order to
receive online and phone support. Consult the registration
card included in the retail packaging for more information on
registering your product.

01

Introduction

Minimum System Requirements

>> Motherboard
PCI Express or PCI Express 3.0-compliant motherboard
with one dual-width x16 graphics slot.
>> System Power Supply
Minimum 500 W or greater system power supply with two 6-pin
PCI Express supplementary power connectors.
>> Operating System
zz

Microsoft Windows 8, 32-bit or 64-bit

zz

Microsoft Windows 7, 32-bit or 64-bit

zz

Linux, 32-bit or 64-bit

zz

FreeBSD x86

>> System Memory

2 GB system memory (4 GB recommended)
>> DVD-ROM drive or internet connection for driver installation
>> 300 MB of available hard disk space

Unpacking

02

Unpacking

Prior to unpacking your new NVIDIA GeForce

GTX 970 graphics card, it is important to make
sure you meet all the system requirements listed
on page 2 for a smooth installation.
Be sure to inspect each piece of equipment
shipped in the packing box. If anything is missing
or damaged, contact your reseller.
Equipment

The following equipment and documentation are included in the

GeForce GTX 970 graphics card box.

NVIDIA Driver Installation Disc

Contains:

GeForce Experience Software

For other operating systems and to keep your
drivers current, visit www.nvidia.com/drivers
and download the latest drivers
Digital version of this Manual and Driver

Quick Start Guide

Fast and easy steps to install the GeForce
graphics card.

02

Unpacking

Registration Card
WELCOME

Register to gain priority access to online and

phone support.

GeForce GTX 970 Graphics Card

Two 6-Pin Power Connectors

SLI
Connector
DisplayPort
Connector
(Qty Three)
HDMI
Connector
DisplayPort
Connectors

DVI
Connector

Hardware Installation

03

Hardware Installation

Installing the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics

card hardware involves opening up your
computer. Follow all of the safety instructions
provided here to ensure that there is no damage
to you, your computer, or the graphics board.
Safety Instructions

To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury, always follow basic
safety precautions.
Note: All hardware must be installed prior to installation of
the drivers.
>> Remove power from your computer by disconnecting the AC main
source before installation.
>> Do not operate this product near water or when your hands or
body are wet.
>> Do not place this product on soft surfaces that could block the
ventilation slots and cause overheating.
>> Do not place this product near a heating register or radiator.
>> Place this product securely on a stable surface. Serious damage
to this product may result if it falls.
>> Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not place
this product where a person can step or trip on the power cord.

03

Hardware Installation

Before You Begin

The GeForce GTX 970 graphics card is a PCI Express 3.0 16 graphics
card. Your computer may already have a graphics card installed in the
PCI Express slot. If so, you will need to remove that graphics card and
replace it with the GeForce GTX 970 graphics card.
If you do not have a graphics card, this means that your motherboard
has on-board graphics (there is a graphics chip installed on your
motherboard or integrated in the motherboard chipset). If this is the
case, there is no action that needs to be taken before installing your
new graphics card.

Installing the GeForce Graphics Card

Because there are so many different computer systems on the

market, the procedure to install the GeForce GTX 970 graphics card
can vary from system to system. Use the following instructions as
a guideline and consult the documentation for
your computer system for any further information on your
individual system.
Note: It is important that all power to the computer be
disconnected before you install the graphics card.
Discharge your bodys static electricity by touching a grounded
surface before touching the graphics card. A grounded surface is the
computer chassis, or some other surface you know to be grounded.
Use the following procedure to install the GeForce GTX 970 graphics
card into your computer system.

1 Turn off your computer and monitor and disconnect the power cord.

Depending on your computer system, you may need to disconnect the

cable going to the back of your system. Mark the cables so you can
make sure you reconnect them properly.

2 Open your computer by removing the cover/side panel. Refer to

your computer documentation from the original manufacturer
for assistance.

Hardware Installation

3 Remove any existing graphics card (if there is one). Save hardware
(such as screws and brackets) to use when installing the NVIDIA
graphics card.

Attention: If your system has been running for a period of

time prior to opening the panels, it is very important that you
wait until the graphics card in your system has cooled before
taking the card out of the system. Graphics cards get very hot
when they have been operating for any length of time.

4 Remove two adjacent slot covers if you do not have a graphics card
installed.

Note: The GeForce GTX 970 card is double-wide so it will require

removing two slot covers.

03

Hardware Installation

5 Plug the GeForce GTX 970 graphics card into the Primary PCI Ex-

press x16 slot on your motherboard. This is often the slot closest to
the CPU but may be the second or third slot. Look for the slot labeled
16. It will likely be the only PCI Express slot with a retention lever on
the end of the slot or the one closest to the CPU

Note: It is recommended that you install the graphics card

into the primary PCI Express x16 slot. If you install the graphics
card into the secondary slot, your system may not recognize the
graphics card and there will be nothing displayed on the monitor.
Also note that on some motherboard SBIOS, the physical
location of the primary slot can be configured when there are
more than one PCI Express x16 slots.
If you are installing additional GeForce GTX 970 graphics cards for an
SLI configuration, continue with step 6 (2-way SLI) or step 6 and 7 (3way SLI). If you are only installing one GeForce card, go on to step 8.
Note: All of the graphics cards in an SLI configuration must be
identical. Therefore, you must have all GeForce GTX 970 graphics
cards.

Hardware Installation

6 Install a second GeForce GTX 970 graphic card (2-way SLI):

a) Install the second GeForce card into the outer most PCI Express
x16 slot on the motherboard.

b) Connect the two GeForce GTX 970 cards together using the dual

SLI bridge connector that came with your SLI-ready motherboard.

7 Install a third GeForce GTX 970 graphic card (3-way SLI):

a) Install the third GeForce card into the middle PCI Express x16 slot
on the motherboard.

SLI

b) Connect the three GeForce GTX 970 cards together using the
tripple SLI bridge connector that came with your SLI-ready
motherboard.
SLI

10

03

Software Installation

8 Connect two 6-pin PCI Express auxiliary power connectors to the top

edge of the GeForce GTX 970 graphics card. Note that the connectors
and sockets on the graphics card have a unique shape and connect
one way only.

9 Reinstall the cover on your computer and reconnect any cables that
you removed earlier in the installation.

DisplayPort Connector (Qty Three)

Supports single-lane transfer rates
over a single cable. The interface
is primarily used to connect a video
source to a display device such as a
computer monitor.
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia
Interface) Connector
Supports output of both video and
audio from the PC to a high-definition television.
DVI Connector
Use this to connect a digital display.
Note: If you are connecting a VGA
display, you will need to obtain a
DVI-to-VGA adapter,

Driver Installation

04

Driver Installation

With the hardware installed, it is now time to

install the GeForce Experience software and the
graphics driver.
GeForce Experience Software Installation
1 Go to http://www.geforce.com/geforce-experience/download. to
download GeForce Experience software.

2 Accept the NVIDIA software license agreement by selecting AGREE

AND CONTINUE.

11

12

04

Driver Installation

The GeForce Experience software begins to install.

3 Select Close to finish the installation.

Driver Installation

NVIDIA Driver Installation

13

To install/update your graphics driver, use the newly installed GeForce Experience. GeForce Experience automatically checks NVIDIA
servers for the latest GeForce drivers each day, and notifies users if a
new driver is available

1 Open GeForce Experience and select the Drivers tab.

2 Select Download driver.

Your GPU driver begins to download.

14

04

Driver Installation

3 Select Express installation when the download finishes.

GeForce Express begins to install the graphics driver.

Note: It may take several minutes for the installation to take

place. Your screen may go blank for a few seconds one or
more times during installation. This is normal.

4 Click CLOSE when the driver install completes.

Note: Visit www.nvidia.com/support to access our 24 x 7 x 365

online support system. GeForce customers purchasing
NVIDIA-branded products also have access to toll free
technical support at 1-800-797-6530 from 8:00AM-5:00PM
Pacific Time, M-F. The technical support line is accessible
from the U.S. and Canada only.

Configuring SLI

15

05

Configuring SLI
CONFIGURING

SLI is a revolutionary technology developed

by NVIDIA that allows you to connect identical
GeForce graphics cards together to deliver
increased performance.
You can enable SLI by either clicking on the SLI capable system
balloon in the system tray or by going to the NVIDIA Control Panel.
Note: You must have an SLI-ready motherboard and 2 or 3
identical SLI-ready GeForce graphics cards installed in your
PC in order to enable SLI.

Accessing the NVIDIA Control Panel

1 To access the NVIDIA Control Panel, you can right-click the Windows

desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel from the menu. Other ways
to access the NVIDIA Control Panel depends on the operating system.

>> Windows 8
Using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen,
click Settings Control Panel Hardware and Sound and
select the NVIDIA Control Panel icon.
>> Windows 7
Go to Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound and select
the NVIDIA Control Panel icon.

16

05

Configuring SLI

Enabling / Disabling SLI

1 Once you have the NVIDIA Control Panel open, click on
Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX in the left task pane.

2 Select from the following multi-GPU configurations:

>> Maximize 3D performance
Select this mode when you want your graphics cards to work together to increase your rendering performance and image quality.
>> Acivate all displays
Activate all displays disables SLI and activates all connected
displays (heads).
>> PhysX settings
PhysX settings switches which GPU runs PhysX and can also
dedicate a GPU to PhysX only.

>> Disable SLI

Default Selection.

3 Click Apply.

Configuring HDMI

17

06

CONFIGURING HDMI

Connecting your HDTV via HDMI allows you to

output both digital audio and video from your
graphics card to an HDTV.
Enabling Audio Over HDMI

If you are connecting to your display over HDMI, you may need to set
the HDMI output to be your default audio device.
In Windows 8, select Start Control Panel Sound.
On the Playback tab, select your HDMI display and select
Set Default.
In Windows 7, select Start Control Panel Sound.
On the Playback tab, select your HDMI display and select
Set Default.
Congratulations! Your GeForce graphics card(s) is now ready to use!
For detailed instructions on using the NVIDIA Control Panel, consult
the Control Panel Users Guide found at www.geforce.com/drivers
(select your driver, then click on Documentation to download the
Users Guide).

18

06

Configuring HDMI

Features

19

07

FEATURES

>> NVIDIA Maxwell: This is NVIDIAs most advanced architecture

ever, delivering incredible performance and unmatched power
efficiency. Plus, it offers cutting-edge features like advanced
sampling and Dynamic Super Resolution technology that delivers
4K fidelityeven on 1080p displays.
>> GeForce Experience: Ensures the best gaming experience, the
day a game releases, by automatically updating your game-ready
drivers. Plus, it allows users to optimize the game settings to their
PC with a single click. GeForce Experience also includes NVIDIA
ShadowPlay that lets you capture and share your favorite
gaming moments.
>> Multi-Frame sampled Anti-Aliasing (MFAA): MFAA delivers a
30% performance boost while maintaining smooth, high-quality
edges by alternating sample calculations across each frame and
each pixel.
>> Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR): This innovative feature can
delivers 4K fidelity to 1080p displays for exceptional detail and
image quality.
>> Voxel Global Illumination (VXGI): Part of the NVIDIA GameWorks
library for developers, VXGI accelerates dynamic lighting effects
for a truly immersive, cinematic experience.
>> NVIDIA GameStream1: GeForce GPU support for NVIDIA PhysX
technology, enabling a totally new class of physical
gaming interaction for a more dynamic and realistic experience
with GeForce.
>> NVIDIA G-SYNC-Ready2: NVIDIA G-SYNC monitors feature
revolutionary NVIDIA technology that eliminates screen tearing
while also reducing input lag. The result is a smoothest, fastest,
and most responsive gaming monitor experience ever seen.

20

07

Features

>> DirectX 12 Support: Support for the latest Microsoft DirectX API
to enable next-generation gaming.
>> NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0: Dynamically maximizes clock speeds
based on workload and allows enthusiast-class controls such
as temperature target and fan controls, extra over-voltage
headroom, and optimizations for water-cooling solutions. This
allows gamers to push performance to new levels.
>> NVIDIA Adaptive Vertical Sync: Dynamically enable vertical sync
based on your current frame rates for the smoothest gaming
experience.
>> NVIDIA CUDA: Unlock the power of the GPUs processor
cores to accelerate demanding tasks such as video transcoding,
physics simulation, ray tracing, and more, delivering incredible
performance improvements over traditional CPUs.
>> DisplayPort: Drive the latest DisplayPort panels with support for
resolutions up to 4096x2160.
>> HDMI3: Support for HDMI includes 4K resolution at 60 Hz, GPUaccelerated Blu-ray 3D support, x.v.Color, HDMI Deep Color, and
7.1 digital surroundsound.
>> Dual-link DVI: Drive flat-panel displays up to 2560x1600
resolution over a DVI connector.
>> PCI Express 3.0: This card is designed for the new PCI Express
3.0 bus architecture, offering the highest data transfer speeds for
the most bandwidth-hungry games and 3D applications. It also
maintains backwards compatibility with existing PCI Express
motherboards for the broadest support.

1. NVIDIA GameStream requires an NVIDIA GameStream-ready device.

2. NVIDIA G-SYNC requires an NVIDIA G-SYNC-ready monitor.
3. Blu-ray 3D playback requires the purchase of a compatible software player from
CyberLink, ArcSoft, Corel, or Sonic. Upgrade your GPU to full 3D capability with
NVIDIA 3DTV Play software, enabling 3D gaming, picture viewing and 3D web video
streaming. See www.nvidia.com/3dtv for more details

Compliances

08

COMPLIANCES

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics card is compliant with the
following regulations:
>> Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
>> Industry Canada (IC)
>> Conformit Europenne (CE)
>> Australian Communications and Media Authority (C-tick)
>> Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI)
>> Bureau of Standards Metrology and Inspection (BSMI)
>> Korean Certification (KC)
>> Underwriters Laboratories (UL, cUL)
>> ISO 9241-307 Visual Display Ergonomics

UNITED STATES
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
NVIDIA CORP
Model: PG401

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications.

21

22

08

Compliances

However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in

a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
>> Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
>> Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
>> Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.
>> Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.

CANADA

Industry Canada (IC)

This Class B digital apparatus complies with ICES-003
Cet appareil numrique de la classe B est conforme la norme
NMB-003 du Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device
may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference, including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.

EUROPEAN UNION

European Conformity; Conformit Europenne (CE)

This device complies with the EMC Directive for Class B, I.T.E
equipment.

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

Australian Communications and Media Authority (C-tick)

This product meets the applicable EMC requirements for Class B,

I.T.E equipement

Compliances

23

JAPAN

Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI)

This is a Class B product based on the standard of the VCCI Council.

If this is used near a radio or television receiver in a domestic
environment, it may cause radio interference. Install and use the
equipment according to the instruction manual.

KOREA

Radio Research Agency (RRA)

KCC-REM-NVA-PG401

B ( )
(B)

, .
Class B Equipment (For Home Use Broadcasting & Communication
Equipment)
This equipment is home use (Class B) electromagnetic wave
suitability equipment and to be used mainly at home and it can be
used in all areas.

24

08

Compliances

TAIWAN COMPLIANCE

Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI)

This device complies with CNS 13438 (2006) Class B

SAFETY

Underwriters Laboratories (UL)

Compliances

25

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Trademarks
NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, CUDA, GeForce, GeForce GTX, GeForce Experience,
GigaThread, Lumenex, PureVideo, and PhysX Technology are trademarks or
registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation. Other company product names may be
trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
Copyright
2014 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved.

www.nvidia.com